A silver halide photographic material usually contains a dye to color a silver halide emulsion layer or a non-light-sensitive hydrophilic colloidal layer. The dye absorbs light of a specific wavelength.
A non-light-sensitive hydrophilic colloidal layer can contain a dye to control spectrum of light incident on a silver halide emulsion layer provided between the hydrophilic colloidal layer and a support. The hydrophilic colloidal layer functions as a filter layer. A silver halide photographic material can have a filter layer between two silver halide emulsion layers.
Light incident on an emulsion layer is reflected at an interface between the emulsion layer and a support or at the backing surface of the support. The reflected light is incident again on the emulsion layer to cause image blurring, namely halation. An antihalation layer is provided between a support and an emulsion layer or on the backing side of the support to prevent halation. The antihalation layer is a non-light-sensitive hydrophilic colloidal layer containing a dye (a colored layer).
A silver halide emulsion layer may be colored with a dye (antiirradiation dye) to prevent irradiation, which is caused by scattered light. The irradiation reduces the sharpness of the obtained image.
The hydrophilic colloidal layer to be colored usually contains a dye. The dye must satisfy the following conditions:
(1) The dye has a spectral absorption suitable for its use. PA1 (2) The dye is an inactive chemical compound in photographic reactions. For example, the dye should not have adverse chemical effects on silver halide emulsion layers. The adverse effects include reduction of sensitivity, regression of latent image and fog. PA1 (3) The dye is bleached or dissolved in a processing solution or a washing water. The dye should not remain in the processed photographic material. PA1 (4) The dye is not diffused from the colored layer to the other layers. PA1 (5) The dye is stable in a solution or in a photographic material. The color formed by the dye should not be faded nor discolored. PA1 L.sup.61 : --(an alkylene group)--O--(an alkylene group)--O--CO-- PA1 L.sup.62 : --(an alkylene group)--O--CO-- PA1 L.sup.63 : --(an alkylene group)--NH--CO-- PA1 L.sup.6 preferably is selected from the group consisting of L.sup.61, L.sup.62 and L.sup.63.
The condition (4) is particularly necessary where the dyes are used in a filter layer or an antihalation layer provided on the side of the emulsion layers. If the dyes are diffused from the colored layers to other layers, the dyes cause adverse spectral effects on the other layers. Further, the diffused dyes degrade the functions of the filter layer or the antihalation layer. However, the dyes tend to be diffused because the colored layer and the other layers are contacted under wet conditions when the layers are formed. Therefore, the photographic materials have been improved to prevent the dyes from diffusing.
For example, each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,548,564, 3,625,694 and 4,124,386 discloses a mordant, which has a function of localizing a dye in a specific layer by an interaction between the dye molecule and the mordant. The mordant is a hydrophilic polymer having an electric charge reverse to the charge of an ionized anionic dye. However, it is difficult to remove or bleach the dye, namely to satisfy the condition (3) in the case of using the mordant.
Further, Japanese Patent Provisional Publication Nos. 55(1980)-155350, 55(1980)-155351, 56(1981)-12639, 63(1988)-27838, 63(1988)-197943, European Patent Nos. 15601, 274723, 276566, 299435, U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,586 and International Patent Publication No. WO88/04794 disclose a layer colored with solid particles of a water-insoluble dye. However, a dye should be stirred for a long term to prepare solid particle dispersion of the dye. Even though a dye is used in the form of solid particles, the particles are sometimes diffused from the colored layer to other layers.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 5(1993)-53242 discloses a silver halide photographic material, which contains an oily composition (oily droplets of an organic solvent) or a polymer latex composition (polymer particles) of 4-(pyrrole-3-yl-methylidene)-pyrazoline-5-one or 4-(indole-3-yl-methylidene)-pyrazoline-5-one (dye). The oily droplets or polymer particles containing a dye are not diffused from a colored layer to other layers. Accordingly, the dyes disclosed in the publication satisfy the condition (4).
It is generally difficult to remove or bleach a dye contained in the oily droplets or the polymer particles at a photographic process. Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 5(1993)-53242 discloses exceptional dyes, which can be removed from the oily droplets or polymer particles. Accordingly the dyes disclosed in the publication further satisfy the condition (3). However, the dyes disclosed in the publication cannot be used as magenta or cyan dyes because the dyes have a short absorption maximum wavelength. Even if the dyes are used as yellow dyes, the dyes have a problem that a color remains in the formed image after a rapid process or a process of using a solution of a low concentration of sulfite ion.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 3(1991)-72340 discloses dyes, which can be contained in an oily composition or a polymer latex composition. However, it is difficult to remove or bleach the dyes contained in oily droplets or polymer particles at a photographic process. Accordingly, the publication proposes an exceptional use of a dye, which does not satisfy the condition (3). The dye remains in the formed image. For example, the dye is used for color correction of the formed image.